Jubilee Class Mars, A Short History
LMS Jubilee 5XP 4-6-0 45698 "Mars"
This loco was new in April 1936 and first went to Newton heath shed where it stayed for 18 months. It returned to Newton Heath for six years between 1940 and 1946, leaving again for a period of two years. In September it came back again but for only one week before being sent to Liverpool Bank Hall shed.in September 1948. There it joined sister locomotive 45717 "Dauntless" which had arrived six months earlier. Five years later a third Jubilee went to Bank Hall, 45719 "Glorious".
The Bank Hall Jubilee locomotives principally worked the 1030am Liverpool Exchange to Newcastle Restaurant Car express as far as York. On their return they worked the 5.15pm from York express to Manchester Victoria as far as Wakefield Kirkgate where they eventually took over the 4.42pm Newcastle to Liverpool Exchange express back home.
In August 1958 in a most surprising move, unrebuilt Patriot number 45517 came to Bank Hall from Willesden shed remaining until its withdrawal from service in June 1962. This locomotive worked turn and turn about with the three Jubilees and in fact monopolised the Newcastle turn for most of 1959
Other turns took the 5XPs to Carlisle and Glasgow. When one was spare it might be found on a Liverpool Exchange express to Bradford Exchange/Leeds Central, or even a stopping train from Liverpool to Rochdale.
After the L&Y mainline services were dieselised on 1st January 1962, "Mars" still found plenty of work particularly in summer working to Blackpool, Carlisle and Glasgow and in winter Rugby League excursions for Wigan fans. It was withdrawn in October 1965 and was one of the last Jubilees to retain its nameplates! 45717 and 45719 were withdrawn in October 1963 and March 1963 respectively. Other Jubilees redundant from elsewhere spent short periods at Bank Hall in the mid 1960s.
Despite being the "crack" train from Liverpool Exchange along the L&Y mainline, Bank Hall men did not work the 10.30am. It set off from Liverpool in the hands of a Bolton crew who were relieved at Manchester Victoria by a set of men from Sowerby Bridge shed who were themselves relieved at Sowerby Bridge, possibly by another set of men from their own shed. I would imagine that Bank Hall men probably had a hand in working the return train certainly from Manchester Victoria.
Over the years "Mars" perpetuated itself in the memories of hundreds of steam fans on former L&Y metals.
Richard S Greenwood December 2014